


Unwilling Betrayal

by LadyNightingGaleofMilvania



Category: Vinland Saga (Anime), Vinland Saga (Manga)
Genre: M/M, Someone needs to teach Canute how breakups work, Sorry Not Sorry, Thorfinn might be a bit broken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:26:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21596086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania/pseuds/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania
Summary: Canute finally had what he wanted, but at what cost?
Relationships: Canute/Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 41





	Unwilling Betrayal

Canute was pacing in his father’s─no… it wasn’t his father’s anymore, it was his…─in  _ his _ large room, heart pounding nearly as fast as the paces his feet were treading upon the floor. Thorfinn had snapped at Askeladd’s death, moving to strike at him, even if he had been stopped. Thorfinn had proven before that he was wild, untamed, and that was something Canute loved about him.  _ Had _ loved. Up until this point, he thought that no matter what was to come Thorfinn would forever be at his side to weather all storms. Their love could conquer all, like his own quest for the throne, but this death─ _ Askeladd’s _ own death─had pushed Thorfinn over an edge that Canute could not pull him back from.

He had seen it in Thorfinn’s eyes, that all-encompassing grief that came from losing a loved one, and no matter what Thorfinn said Canute knew that he had loved Askeladd, he had felt it at the death of Ragnar, but Thorfinn… he was beyond saving. Canute knew what he had to do, even though it weighed heavy on his heart like it were the weight of his life’s sins from past, present, and future pressing him down. This would send him down a road that he could not turn from, this Canute knew deep within his heart, yet at the same time he was already on this path and there would be no stopping him from reaching the goal that was just beyond his fingertips.

A knock sounded and Thorkell brought in Thorfinn, the man before him looking so pitiful and lifeless compared to only a few nights prior when those eyes had been filled with enough fire that it could melt the snows of winter at a glance. With a wave he dismissed Thorkell, earning a glance from the giant.

“What if he attacks you?” Thorkell asked with a snort.

“Does he look like he is even alive right now?” Canute waved off, “I can handle him, just stand at my door if I should call.”

After a moment of looking between Canute and Thorfinn, Thorkell dipped out of the room and pulled the door shut. When Canute was sure that he wouldn’t come back in, he crossed the room quickly to Thorfinn and framed his face within his hands.

“Thorfinn,” he whispered, the words half-choked within his throat, “Please, just look at me.”

Thorfinn’s eyes raised slowly, no light within them, even at the fire behind Canute sparked and flickered in reflection. Pain laced through Canute’s chest. He had a hand in this, in the breaking of Thorfinn, who seemed like nothing could stop his untamed spirit. It hurt to see the Thorfinn he so knew and loved reduced to nothing more than a being led along as a shepherd would do with his sheep.

“I’m so sorry Thorfinn, I never wanted it to be like this…” Canute cried, tears streaming down his cheeks at Thorfinn’s muted stare.

A gasp, a twist of his face. Thorfinn looked down to find that a hilt was sticking out from him, and attached to that hilt was a hand. Canute’s hand. The blade was removed, blood spilling from Thorfinn’s middle as he looked back up. Both of the men had become uneven in breath, both from pain immeasurable to the other. With a shaking hand, Thorfinn touched his wound, as though to see if it were at all real, his fingers becoming dyed with crimson as the pain truly registered and he reached out a hand as though to choke Canute, but instead simply grazed the man’s face.

“Kill me,” Thorfinn whispered, almost begging.

Canute’s hand shook as Thorfinn took it, blade still grasped in Canute’s fist, and placed it between his ribs, over his own heart and stepped forward, the blade piercing the skin and Canute took a step back. No, he couldn’t do this, he couldn’t. He couldn’t kill the man he loved, even though he would die were his wound not attended to anyway. Another step forward for Thorfinn, another step back for Canute. This continued until Canute’s back hit the farthest wall, forcing him to confront Thorfinn ahead of him, still trying to walk forward into the blade.

“DO IT!” Thorfinn screamed, taking a final step forward as his hands flew to Canute’s throat and squeezed.

Without thinking Canute slide the dagger forward and a choked sound fell from Thorfinn’s lips as Thorkell burst through the door and sprinted to Canute, through it was too late. Thorfinn was already falling limp to the ground. His blood ran down Canute’s hand, smeared on his neck from where Thorfinn’s own hand had constricted around it, but nothing bothered him more than the peaceful look on Thorfinn’s face as he felt the point find its way into his heart. Canute knew that this would haunt him in his every waking moment, gasp at him in his dreams as Canute would try to rest…

“Are you ok?” Thorkell asked, checking Canute over before picking Thorfinn up with a single arm.

“He attacked me, and I defended myself, now remove him from here,” Canute commanded sternly.

With that Thorkell left again, this time to dispose of Thorfinn in some place that Canute would likely never know about. When he was confident he would not be overheard he cried, cried until his eyes dried and his heart hardened. From here on he would let no one in, if the heart was a weakness then he would guard it with every waking moment. He would be forever alone, but if it would spare him any more moments where he would be betrayed by those he held closest? It would be a price he was willing to pay.


End file.
